My First Food Swap

Last weekend I went to my town's new food swap with 15 jars of strawberry-merlot jam. I was a little nervous.

These are organic strawberries bought at the grocers (it's too early for them up here). The package was Driscoll, based in Watsonville, CA. I don't know if they're grown there or somewhere farther south. They did say "Product of U.S.A."

Wash, cut the tops off, crush. (I'm using the Sure-Jell low-sugar pectin recipe out of the box, with one crucial change.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you measure out the fruit, use one cup less than they call for, and substitute a cup of wine instead. You can play around with combinations here. I like Merlot or Zinfandel with strawberries, and in this case used Smoking Loon Merlot, 2009 (because it was reputable but cheap).

Meanwhile, you've boiled up your jars and lids in a big pot of water and put your tops into a dish of water that was boiling but is now off the heat. Just before the jam's ready, use tongs to get the jars and lids out but leave the tops in still. Everything will dry while you're finishing the jam. I'm assuming you already know how to make jam?

Once it's done, ladle the liquid into the jars, up to a quarter inch from the rim. Take the tops from the hot bath with tongs and position them on the jars, screw on the lids and immediately turn them upside down. Leave them inverted for five minutes or so, then right them and wait for the "pings" to happen as the jars seal. This might take half an hour but it's kind of the fun part and you don't have to stand around and watch, you can be washing up or eating lunch or something...

Voila! Strawberry-Merlot jam, batch one of two. Now, after two hours of silent auction-type bidding and general merriment, look what I got in return:

 

 

 

 

 

 

From right, clockwise: a strawberry-rhubarb galette made by Nikiya and her daughters Maya and Poppy, a loaf of wheat/polenta bread made by Mark, a bottle of fresh violets from Alex, a bottle of fresh-squeezed orange juice from Wendie, Susan's Salad Sauce, Caesar dressing and croutons from Shannon and her daughters, tahini dressing, hot fudge sauce made by Mae, aged 8, gluten-free bagels made by Janet, home-made mayonnaise by Sarah, organic ketchup made by Noah, aged 8 also, lemon-rosemary marmalade from Jackie, lemon curd from Talei, lavender honey-butter, and 7 Meyer lemons. I feel as rich as a lord!

And that was true across the board: almost everyone felt as though they'd won the lottery. Even though really, it was simple: I brought 15 things and I came home with 15 things (if two bagels and seven lemons are each a "thing"). One friend who doesn't eat dairy or gluten or eggs felt as though the pickings were a little lean for her, so if that's true for you, and you're interested in joining or starting a food swap in your town, you might keep it in mind.

There is a slight element of competition when you're swapping — if someone has only four jars of kale pesto and you want one, you have to be standing right next to her ready to swap. And she has to want what you're swapping, too. Sometimes it's hard to say no: I took the violets because they were so beautiful, but I've phototraphed them and since given them to a friend who's going to crystallize them for decorations on a cake. I traded for ketchup even though I rarely eat it because my friend Noah is 8 and I didn't want to disappoint him. I'll enjoy making a hamburger and using it, too, so there is some serendipity involved that's kind of nice.

We're doing this again in six weeks. I'm going to participate a second time, probably bringing two things to swap rather than just one. One is simpler, but sometimes another person will have more than one thing and not want two jars of jam or whatever you have. I can see that my mental tasks will be not to get too "foodie" about it all and try to wow everyone — although I am looking at blood-orange curd recipes on-line. And also not to get competitive in the moment of swapping. The marketplace — even this friendly mostly organic one — can engender a kind of ambition and slight panic, even when you're really trying not to get attached to it all. It's actually an interesting project, to remain calm among all that high energy and not worry about the outcome. Sort of a mid--term in my on-going graduate program of detachment...

For more about my town's swap, visit their Facebook page: Nevada City Food Swap

For more about national food swapping, check out the Food Swap Network.

Let me know if you try it, and what you think.